Family of murder victim denied damages

Published:12:31Friday 12 July 2013

The family of a murder victim killed by a former Wigtown man have lost a legal battle against the supermarket where he died.

Robert McCulloch admitted stabbing Lithuanian national Roman Romasov, 28, at the Berryden Road Sainsbury’s in Aberdeen back in 2009, and a judge last year gave Mr Romasov’s family permission to pursue a damages claim of £500,000 against the store.

But that ruling has now been overturned after judges at the Court of Session backed a Sainsbury’s appeal.

After admitting murder in 2009, shelf-stacker McCulloch, now 38, was told he would have to serve at least 10 years and nine months behind bars.

Relatives of Mr Romasov had claimed Sainsbury’s was liable for the actions of its then-employee but judges this week concluded that there was no link between Mr McCulloch’s conduct and his job which could make his employers “vicariously liable.”

On the night of the attack, the pair were said to have been involved in an argument which resulted in McCulloch attacking his victim with a six-inch kitchen knife.

Mr Romasov, who died from multiple stab wounds to the chest and stomach, had been studying mechanical engineering and was described as “a very private person” and a hard worker.